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Creating Leaders for Sustainable Development
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- Lee Hecht Harrison
Today, a business leader's success is often judged solely on quarterly earnings. This short view
does little to ensure that the company-or the environment that supports it-will remain a long-term,
sustainable operation. To prepare future business leaders for this daunting challenge, more and
more business schools are offering courses in environmental sustainability, resource management and
corporate social responsibility. The Moore School is among them, and this year its IMBA core
curriculum began with a required course on globalization and
corporate responsibility, and offered an elective on international business and sustainable
development. What is unique about this course is that it is taught, not by a business professor,
but by
Phillip E. Barnes, Ph.D., a research professor in the USC
School of the Environment.
The International Business and Sustainable Development course introduces students to international and national environmental and social management issues that affect a company's operations and management practices. Barnes teaches students the correlation between environmental management systems, including ISO 14001, European Eco-Management and Auditing Scheme and a company's ability to manage, measure and improve the environmental and business aspects of its operations.
To illuminate the subject and broaden the students' perspectives, Barnes invited corporate and academic guest speakers to address his students throughout the fall semester.
The series began in October with a visit from Halle Price, senior environmental engineer with BMW Manufacturing Co. in Spartanburg, SC. Price spoke about BMW's commitment to applying the concept of sustainability in practice and integrating it into daily business procedures. Car companies have long dealt with ecological issues and they recognize that environmental sustainability is of vital importance to their future viability.
The German-based car manufacturer is "always looking for ways to reduce its environmental impact on the community," Halle M. Price told the audience of students and faculty. This is quite evident by recognition the plant has received for its efforts. Among its achievements, the Spartanburg plant has earned both environmental management system certifications known as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 and is a member of the National Environmental Performance Track, a designation from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for excellence in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, toxic air emissions and employees' fuel usage.
In November, Angela Grooms, Director of Corporate Environmental Health and Safety Integration and Governance for Duke Energy, spoke to the students and faculty about Duke's membership in the Global Environmental Management Initiative (GEMI). Since it was founded 16 years ago, GEMI has grown to include 41 major companies dedicated to fostering global environmental, health and safety (EHS) excellence through the sharing of tools and information to help other businesses achieve EHS excellence and assist organizations in sustainable development planning. Unlike any other, this non-profit organization gives companies from a wide range of industrial sectors the opportunity to work together toward cost effective solutions.
The last of the three lectures, held in December, was a lively, interactive presentation by Jacob Park, assistant professor of business and public policy at Green Mountain College in Vermont. Park is recognized nationally and internationally for his research and lecturers on business and public policy, specializing in global environmental and business strategy, corporate social responsibility, business ethics and community-based entrepreneurship.
Park talked about the major factors that are driving the issues of environmental sustainability into boardroom conversations and onto the covers of mainstream magazines: global ecological deterioration and rapid international demand for energy. Businesses are faced with the challenge of meeting increased demand without further harm to the planet.
Whether they are motivated by genuine concern for the environment or the benefits of an effective public relations campaign, corporate leaders are putting greater emphasis on corporate social responsibility. Parks believes that these issues can only be tackled by the business community. "Companies-big and small-must get in the business of developing creative solutions to these problems, or we are all going to fail," said Park.
Park posed the question, "For business to achieve profit maximization-for business to be business-does it have to come at the expense of harming the environment? Can you integrate the two? Or does it require trade-offs?" The audience didn't produce a definitive answer, but the discussion was productive because, from Park's perspective, the fact that the subject is being discussed at all is progress and critical to finding a solution.
The Moore School is ensuring the dialogue continues by offering elective courses like International Business and Sustainable Development, but also by integrating corporate social responsibility, environmental management and ethical issues into the core curriculum. After the students learn it, we hope they will put it to use for the greater good. As future business leaders, they must continue the dialogue and work with others to develop creative solutions for business success in a sustainable environment.
|
| Phillip Barnes |
The International Business and Sustainable Development course introduces students to international and national environmental and social management issues that affect a company's operations and management practices. Barnes teaches students the correlation between environmental management systems, including ISO 14001, European Eco-Management and Auditing Scheme and a company's ability to manage, measure and improve the environmental and business aspects of its operations.
To illuminate the subject and broaden the students' perspectives, Barnes invited corporate and academic guest speakers to address his students throughout the fall semester.
The series began in October with a visit from Halle Price, senior environmental engineer with BMW Manufacturing Co. in Spartanburg, SC. Price spoke about BMW's commitment to applying the concept of sustainability in practice and integrating it into daily business procedures. Car companies have long dealt with ecological issues and they recognize that environmental sustainability is of vital importance to their future viability.
|
| Halle Price |
The German-based car manufacturer is "always looking for ways to reduce its environmental impact on the community," Halle M. Price told the audience of students and faculty. This is quite evident by recognition the plant has received for its efforts. Among its achievements, the Spartanburg plant has earned both environmental management system certifications known as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 and is a member of the National Environmental Performance Track, a designation from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for excellence in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, toxic air emissions and employees' fuel usage.
In November, Angela Grooms, Director of Corporate Environmental Health and Safety Integration and Governance for Duke Energy, spoke to the students and faculty about Duke's membership in the Global Environmental Management Initiative (GEMI). Since it was founded 16 years ago, GEMI has grown to include 41 major companies dedicated to fostering global environmental, health and safety (EHS) excellence through the sharing of tools and information to help other businesses achieve EHS excellence and assist organizations in sustainable development planning. Unlike any other, this non-profit organization gives companies from a wide range of industrial sectors the opportunity to work together toward cost effective solutions.
The last of the three lectures, held in December, was a lively, interactive presentation by Jacob Park, assistant professor of business and public policy at Green Mountain College in Vermont. Park is recognized nationally and internationally for his research and lecturers on business and public policy, specializing in global environmental and business strategy, corporate social responsibility, business ethics and community-based entrepreneurship.
|
|
Jacob Park
|
Park talked about the major factors that are driving the issues of environmental sustainability into boardroom conversations and onto the covers of mainstream magazines: global ecological deterioration and rapid international demand for energy. Businesses are faced with the challenge of meeting increased demand without further harm to the planet.
Whether they are motivated by genuine concern for the environment or the benefits of an effective public relations campaign, corporate leaders are putting greater emphasis on corporate social responsibility. Parks believes that these issues can only be tackled by the business community. "Companies-big and small-must get in the business of developing creative solutions to these problems, or we are all going to fail," said Park.
Park posed the question, "For business to achieve profit maximization-for business to be business-does it have to come at the expense of harming the environment? Can you integrate the two? Or does it require trade-offs?" The audience didn't produce a definitive answer, but the discussion was productive because, from Park's perspective, the fact that the subject is being discussed at all is progress and critical to finding a solution.
The Moore School is ensuring the dialogue continues by offering elective courses like International Business and Sustainable Development, but also by integrating corporate social responsibility, environmental management and ethical issues into the core curriculum. After the students learn it, we hope they will put it to use for the greater good. As future business leaders, they must continue the dialogue and work with others to develop creative solutions for business success in a sustainable environment.